Odisha court grants bail to gangster Raja Acharya

A local court in Odisha today granted bail to gangster Sandeep alias Raja Acharya, currently serving jail term in Jharpada Special Jail here.

District and Sessions court, Khurda granted conditional bail to Raja Acharya on a surety of Rs 1 lakh.

“While granting bail, the court has laid conditions that my client wouldn’t terrorise the complainants. He would surrender his passport before the concerned court and won’t travel abroad. Besides, he would inform the concerned police station prior to embarking on any travel plan,” said Swagat Ray, Raja’s counsel.

Acharya’s counsel had moved the Supreme Court seeking bail which granted the prayer directing the former to approach the lower court for bail. Following this, the bail plea was moved in the District and Sessions court here.

Raja was convicted in the murder of judo coach Biranchi Das and was serving life term in Jharpada jail since 2008.

Raja was arrested from Goa on May 28, 2008. The Bhubaneswar District and Sessions Court convicted Raja in the case and sentenced him to life imprisonment. However, Raja had petitioned the High Court challenging the lower court’s verdict. Since the matter did not come up for hearing in the High Court, Raja had moved the Supreme Court which granted him bail on March 10.

After the apex court’s verdict, the witnesses in the case including – Biranchi’s wife Gitanjali, Leslie Tripathy and Bidusmita Mahapatra – had alleged threat to their lives. With perceived threat to their lives, police had asked them to submit written request for security to them.

Meanwhile, Twin City Commissionerate police moved the trial court for imposition of suitable conditions over bail to Raja Acharya.

In the petition, the cops pleaded to put conditions such as to appear before the police daily, not to leave Twin City police limits without informing, not to intimidate witnesses, not to destroy evidence and cooperate with investigation, sources said.